Method and apparatus for producing warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics

ABSTRACT

Warps and wefts are simultaneously knitted together into selected loops of a fabric while the warps are transferred laterally passing over a prescribed number of needles by one or more sets of warp transferers travelling parallel to the needle bed in synchronism with the carriage holding cams operative on the needles.

United States Patent 191 Sakuragawa et a].

[ June 25, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WARP AND WEFT INTER-KNITTED FABRICS Inventors: Yoshio Sakuragawa, Kyoto; Kiyoshi Honma, Otsu, both of Japan Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc., Tokyo, Japan Filed: Jan. 24, 1972 Appl. No.: 220,278

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 28, l97l Japan 46-2629 June l, 197! Japan. 46-37440 US. Cl 66/62,v6 6/l3, 66/l25,

66/86, 66/10, 66/195 Int. Cl D04b 7/00 Field of Search 66/125, 62, 60; 75, 8,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,355,l96 10/1920 Walter 66/62 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 18,869 3/1913 Great Britain 66/60 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum 5 7 ABSTRACT Warps and wefts are simultaneously knitted together into selected loops of a fabric while the warps are transferred laterally passing over a prescribed number of needles by one o r more sets of warp transferers travelling parallel to the needle bed in synchronism with the carriage holding cams operative on the needles.

19 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PA ENTED v 3, 8 1 8 725 sum 3 or '5 WARP AND WEFT INTER-KNITTED FABRICS I The present invention relates to method and apparatus .for producing warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics, and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for producing warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics on a knitting machine whereon loops areformed by registe'ring selected neeedles in order at the knitting positions by use of a carriage traveling parallel to the needle bed.

The art of producing warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics has been developed so as to obtain knitted fabrics having mechanical properties resembling those of woven fabrics. while utilizing the high production efficiency of the knitting technique. The conventional system for producing the warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics is classified roughly into two major types. v v In the system of the first type, loops are formed firstly,

using either one of warps and wefts and, after forma-- tion of the loops, the other of the two is combined with the loops so formed. That is, for example, the loops are formed firstly using warps, and the wefts are inserted between the needle loops and sinker loops so that the wefts are combined with the warp knitted base. In order to carry out this process, the knitting machine is provided with a special inserter mechanism for combining either one of the warps and wefts with the base.

' floating of the thread tends to degrade the appearance of the fabric and, in addition, the floatedthreads barely resume their initial disposition in the fabric configuration even after the removal of the applied force. Further, poor binding of the thread often causes undesirable pilldevelopment and troublesome snarl formation.

nism for reciprocating the guide plate which is substantially perpendicular to the warp running direction.

of the apparatus of the present invention,

In an attempt to resolve the troubles of the first type,

the second type of system has been developed in which warps and wefts are simultaneously knitted together are transferred laterally by the transferers passing over a prescribed number of needles in order to becaught by selected needles. The wefts so supplied and the warps so transferred are simultaneously knitted together in loops by the selected needles.

The warp transferer may be in the form of rotary circular discs or circulating endless members. Further, the apparatus maybe additionally provided with a mecha- FIG. 2 is a front view of the warptransferer and its related parts on the apparatus shown in FIG. I viewed from the warp supply side,

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing for showing the structural relationship between the warp transferer and the warp guide plate on the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a front view of the warp transferer and its related parts of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 viewed from the warp supply side.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a modified embodiment of the warp transferer and its related parts viewed from the warp supply side, I

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic drawings for showing the various structural relationships between the warp transferer and the warp guide plate of the apparatus of the present invention,

FIG. 9 is a front part view of the mechanism for reciprocating the warp guide plate viewed from the warp supply side, 1

FIGS. 10A to [0C are schematic drawings for showing the structures of the fabrics produced according to the present invention,

FIG. 11 is a simplified illustration of a flat knitting machine which may be employed in combination with the present invention, and

FIG. l2is a simplified illustration of a circular knitting machine which may employ the arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. I, an embodiment of the knitting apparatus of the present invention is shown, wherein a carriage l reciprocates along a needle bed 2 on, e.g., a flat knitting machine. A plurality of knitting needles 3,'latch needles in the shown examples, are mounted on the needle bed 2 and the carriage l is internally provided with several cams (not shown) operating on butts of the needles 3 in the usual fashion.

A slide holder 4 is fixed to the needle head side face of the carriage 1 and an arm 6 for holding a weft sup- .plier 7 is received in this holder 4 at its one end. When the carriage 1 moves in the direction A, the arm 6 is locked to the trailing end of the holder 4 whereas, when the carriage 1 moves in the opposite direction, the arm 6 is locked to the leading end of the holder 4 in the illustration. The weft 8 is supplied to the knitting zone from a given supply source (not shown) via the weft supplier 7.

Being spaced from the needle bed 2 towards the needle head side, an elongated guide rail 9 is arranged running in parallel with the needle bed 2, i.e., in parallel with the traveling direction of the carriage l. A warp guide plate 11 is fixed to the upper side of the rail 9 and is provided with a saw toothed upper face as shown in FIG. 2 in the case of the shown embodiment. Various types of upper face shaping are employable in the present invention as described in more detail in the ensuing description. In a similar way to the warp guide plate 11,

a rack 13 is fixed to the lower side of the guide rail 9.

A holder bracket 14 is combined with the guide rail 9 and its related machine parts in an arrangement so that the bracket 14 travels along the guide rail 9 in synchronism with the travel of the carriage 1 along the needle bed 2. This bracket 14 carries a pinion 16 in a meshing engagement with the rack 13 of the guide rail 9 and another gear 17 fixedly mounted on a common shaft with the pinion 16. The bracket 14 furthercarries a gear 18 in a meshing engagement with the above mentioned gear 17 and a warp transferer l9 fixedly mounted on a common shaft with the gear 18.

In the case of the shown embodiment, the warp transferer 19 is in the form of a circular disc provided with the saw toothed periphery as shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the running warps 21 are received in the hollows of the saw toothed surface of the guide plate 11 and, in the illustrated-disposition, some of the running warps 21 are received in the hollows of the saw toothed periphery of the warp transferer 19. After passing through the hollows of the saw toothed surface of the guide plate 11, the wefts 21 are advanced towards the knitting zone so as to be caught by the needles 3. In this connection, the saw toothed surface of the guide plate 11 must be so designed that, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the side face of the guide plate 11 as in FIG. 2, the warp 21 in the hollow of the saw teeth positions itself at the midway between two neighbouring knitting needles 3. It is also necessary that the crests of the saw teeth position themselves right under the position of the needles 3 when viewed from the above-mentioned direction. Owing to this design of the saw toothed surface of the guide plate 11, the warps 21 can be correctly fed to the corresponding needles 3 without error.

The operational mode of the apparatus of the above explained construction is as follows.

As the carriage 1 moves in the direction A, the holder bracket 14 travels in synchronism in the same direction and this travel causes corresponding rotation of the warp transferer 19 via the pinion and rack engagement. When the carriage l advances in the direction A, the warp transferer 19 rotates in the direction B in FIG. 2. By this rotation of the warp transferer 19, a warp 21 received in a hollow of the saw teeth of the guide plate 11 is scooped up by a hollow of the peripheral saw teeth of the warp transferer 19. Following the rotation of the transferer 19, the scooped up warp 21 is moved rearwardly with respect to the advancing direction A of the transferer 19 along the guide rail 9. Simultaneously, the scooped up warp 21 is moved forwardly with respect to the advancing direction of the transferer 19 because the latter travels with the carriage 1 in the direction A. The combination of the abovementioned two displacements makes the weft 21 move along the locus C in FIG. 2 passing over a needle 3 to be received in the neighbouring hollow of the saw teeth of the guide plate 11. In this way, the warps are each transferred from one hollow to the neighbouring hollow of the guide plate saw teeth passing over the corresponding needles as the carriage 1 travels along the needle bed 2.

The relationship between the transfer of the warp 21 and the rotation of the transferer 19 will be explained below in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

In the first place, the dimensions of the related machine parts are represented as follows.

d: Diameter of the gear 17. r: Radius of the warp transferer 19. n: Number of hollows possessed by the warp transferer 19.

20: Center angle corresponding to the segment of the transferer 19 extending over the level of the crests of the guide plate saw teeth.

5: Distance between the neighbouring hollows of the guide plate saw teeth.

Further, it is assumed that the gears 17 and 18 have equal diameter.

Under this assumption, when holder bracket 14 travels in the direction A and gear 17 has carried out one complete rotation, transferer 19 moves over a distance 1rd and the number of guide plate saw teeth hollows in this distance is equal to will. This number is equal to the number of hollows on transferer 19 as follows;

n=1rd/! It was confirmed by experiment that the necessary vertical displacement h of warp at the rotation angle 0 of transferer 19 is desirably equal to (2.5-3.0)!. The following relationship is deduced from FIG. 3;

h r(l c056) Therefore;

r (2.5-3.0)t/l cost) (2) The lateral displacement of warp at a 20 rotation of transferer 19 is theoretically equal to r. Then;

2rsin0 20/360 1rd I It was empirically confirmed also that the value of 20/360 is desirably equal to l/3-l/4). Then;

d 3-4/1r(4rsin0 t) When the above-presented three equations (1), (2) and (3) are satisfied, the warp 21 can be smoothly transferred passing over the needle 3 along the locus C in a direction opposite to the horizontal advancing direction of the holder bracket 14 as shown in FIG. 2.

In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment, the warps are transferred along the locus C in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the warp transferer, i.e., the carriage. When the warp transferer travels to the left in FIG. 2, the warp is transferred to the right along a locus similar to the locus C in FIG. 3.

' Therefore, when the apparatus of the present invention the carriage on the circular knitting machine, the warps are transferred from needle to needle in one direction only. Because of this mode of transfer, in the configuration of the'obtained fabric, the warps'do not run perpendicularly to the wefts but are inclined with respect to the wefts.

Another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention used, e.g., in a knitting machine, is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the carriage 1 travels in one direction A only. It will be obvious, of course, that the arrangement of these figures may be adapted to a circular knitting machine. For the sake of simplicity of description, the assembly of the machine parts including the warp transferer and the holder bracket will hereinafter be referred to as the warp transferer block. Namely, the warp transfer block includes a pinion meshing with the rack, a pair of intermediate gears, a warp transferer and a holder bracket carrying these members. In the shown arrangement, machine parts the same as those used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. l and 2 are indicated by the same reference numerals.

The apparatus shown in'FIGS. 4 and 5 is provided with a pair of warp transferer blocks 31a and 31b, one of the pair transferring the warps in the'advancing direction thereof, the other transferring the warps in the directionopposite to the advancing direction thereof. The carriage l is provided with a pair of weft suppliers 7a and 711, one for each of the warp'transferer blocks. The wefts 8a and 8b are fed to the knitting zone from given supply sources (not shown) via the weft suppliers 7a and 7b.

The upper face of the warp guide plate 11 is indented as shown in FIG. 5 being somewhat differentfrom the sawtoothed shapeshown in FIG. 2. The reason for such modified design of the indented upper face will be made more clear in the ensuing description.

The warp transfer mode on this apparatus will now be explainedin detail regarding the warp transferer block 310 for transferring the warps in the traveling direction thereof, i.e., in the righthand direction in FIG. 5. When the carriage 1 travels in the direction A, the warp transferer block 310 travels in the same direction and the warp transferer 19a rotates in the direction B (see FIG. 5).

In the first place, the dimensions of the related machine parts are represented as follows.

d: Diameter of the gear 17a. r': Radius of the warp transferer 19a. n: Number of peripheral hollows possessed by the warp transferer 19a.

20': Center angle corresponding to the segment of thetransferer 19a extending over the level of the crests of the guide plate indentation.

1: Distance between neighbouring hollows of the guide plate indentation.

It was confirmed by experiment that the necessary vertical displacement h' of warp at the rotation angle 0' of transferer 19a is desirably equal to (3.0-3.5)t. The following relationship is deduced from FIG. 5;

I h r'(l cos0') Therefore;

r (3.0-3.5)t/l c050 (5) The lateral displacement of warp at a 20' rotation of transferer 19a is theoretically equal to t. Then;

It was empirically confirmed also that the value of 207360 is desirably equal to (l/3-l/4).

When the above-presented three equations (4), (5) and (6) are satisfied, the warp 21 can be smoothly transferred passing over the needle along the locus D in the advancing direction of the warp transferer block 31a as shown in FIG. 5. I

In this connection, it should be noted that the warp locus D shown in FIG. 5 is different from the warp locus C shown in FIG. 3. That is, in the case of the disposition shown in FIG. 3, the locus C has an inverted U-shape and the warp can smoothly pass over the needle. But, in the case of the disposition shown in FIG. 5,

. the locus D tends to have an inverted V-shape. Because of this possible shape of the locus D, the warp tends to make contact with the needle during its transfer movement, resulting in malfunction in the warp transfer operation. In order to obviate this difficulty, the profile of the hollowsof the guide plate indentation are somewhat modified from that of the hollows shown in FIG. 3, whereby the warp can be smoothly transferred passing over the needle. Further, as is shown in FIG. 5, it is desirable that the lateral position of the crest coincides with that of the needle and the level of the former is higher than the level of the latter.

When the two warp transferer blocks 31a and 31b are used in combination with the carriage l traveling in one direction only as shown in FIG. 5, the warps can be transferred in both directions as the carriage 1 travels along the needle bed 2, for example, with one of the warp transfers designed to transfer the warps in the Further, it is assumed that the gears 17a and 18a have an equal diameter. V

Under this assumption, when warp transfererblock 31a travels in the direction A and gear 17a has carried out one complete rotation, transferer 19a moves over a distance 1rd and the number of guide plate saw tooth hollows in this distance is equal to 1rd/!. This number is equal to the number of hollows on transferer 19a as follows;

manner indicated in FIG. 3 and the other being de signed to transfer the warps in the manner indicated in FIG. 5. Although only two sets of warp transferer blocks are used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, three or more sets can be used in combination if desired.

In the case of the foregoing embodiments, the warp transferer is provided in the form of a rotatable circular disc having a saw toothed peripheral surface. However, the warp transferer can be given in other forms also.

One modified embodiment of the warp transferer block is shown in FIG. 6, wherein the circular disc as the transferer is replaced by an endless traveling belt. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, the warp transferer block includes a holder bracket 51, a pinion 52 carried by the holder bracket 51 in meshing engagement with the rack 13 fixed to the guide rail 9 and a driver wheel 53 fixedly mounted on a common shaft with the pinion 52. An endless belt 54 is mounted on to the bracket 51 so that it is rotated by the driver wheel 53. Several guide wheels 56, are provided for guidance of the belt 54. The running course of the belt 54 can be selected as desired in the actual knitting operation. Further, the outer surface of the belt 54 is so designed so as to firmly catch'the warps which come in contact therewith. For example, the belt surface may be provided with saw toothed projections as shown in FIG. 7. This endless belt 54 may be replaced by an endless tape, an endless rope or an endless chain.

As the warp transferer block 31 travels in the direction A in FIG. 6, the pinion 52 and the driver wheel 53 rotate simultaneously in the direction E so as to allow the belt 54 to rotate in the direction F. By this rotation of the belt 54, the warps 21 are transferred in the direction opposite to the advancing direction of the warp transferer block 31.

The mode of the warp transfer on this embodiment is explained in more detail as follows with reference to FIG. 7. In the drawing, the dimensions of the arrangement are represented as follows;

p: Horizontal distance between the points P and Q and R and S. q: Horizontal distance between the points and R.

h: Vertical distance between the levels PS and OR.

1: Distance between the neighbouring needles.

11,: Diameter of the pinion 52.

d Diameter of the driver wheel 53.

1,: Horizontal displacement of the warp transferer block 31.

1 Total length of the belt 54 from the point P to the point S.

Further it is assumed that, upon traveling of the warp transferer block over the distance 1,, the belt circulates over the distance 1 and the warp is tranferred passing over one needle along the locus G. The rotation angle of the pinion 52 corresponding to the above process is represented by 0".

Under this assumption, the following equations are deduced;

In order to transfer the warp passing over one needle as shown in FIG. 7, the following relationship must be satisfied.

( P q) I Also, in order to transfer the warp passing over one needle in the traveling direction of the block 31, the following relationship must be satisfied.

One example of a design which can satisfy the abovepresented equation (7) is as follows:

p= 10 mm q= 10 mm h=7.5 mm

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the circulation course of the belt has no flat top and, therefore, the value of q in FIG. 7 is zero. In this case, the following relationship must be satisfied;

When the warp is transferred in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the warp transferer block passing over one needle;

When the warp is transferred in the traveling direction of the block;

l1-2p=I In the arrangement of the apparatus of the present invention, the guide rail 9 is located between the knitting zone by the needles 3 and the warp transferer l9 and serves to position the warps 21 so that the warps 21 can be correctly caught by the corresponding needles. As already mentioned in relation to FIG. 3, the lateral position of the warp received in the hollow of the guide plate 11 must be the midpoint of the distance between a pair of corresponding neighbouring needles. Otherwise, the smooth transfer of the warps will be hindered by the needles. Further, the vertical distance between the level of the needles and that of the warps must be properly designed also. Otherwise, the smooth transfer of the warps will be hindered by the needles and/or the warps cannot be correctly caught by the needles during the knitting operation.

In order to assure a correct and stable positioning of the warps in the above-mentioned sense, the guide plate of the apparatus of the present invention is provided with an indented upper surface. This indentation can be made in the desired shape in accordance with the required mode of the warp transfer. For example, when the warps are transferred in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the warp transferer block as in the case of FIGS. 2 and 7, both saw-toothed and comb-toothed indentations are employable. However, when the warps are transferred in the traveling direction of the warp transferer block as in the case of FIGS. 5 and 8, the indentation must be given in the comb tooth form.

A still further embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention for laterally transferring the warps is shown in FIG. 9, wherein the warp guide plate 11 is constructed so as to be movable transverse to the warp running direction.

On one side of the warp guide plate 11, a driver sprocket 81 is rotatably mounted on the machine framework and an endless chain 82 made up of specially shaped links 83 and 84 runs in meshing engagement with the sprocket 81. A pin 86 fixed to the guide plate 11 is connected to a fixed point on the machine framework by a tension spring 87. A contactor 88 is fixed to one end of the guide plate 11 being pressed to the outer faces of the links 83 and 84.

Upon rotation of the sprocket 81, the chain 82 is driven and the guide plate 11 is reciprocated in such a manner that, when the contactor 88 comes in contact with the bigger link 83, the plate 11 is pushed to the right in the drawing overcoming the force of the spring 87 whereas, when the contactor 88 comes in contact with the smaller link 84, the plate 11 is pulled to the left in the drawing by the force of the spring 87.

The difference in the heights of the links is an integral sented successively as h,,, h,, k h the following relation is satisfied;

hg h 3t and so on.

By precisely adjusting the degree of projection of the contactor 88, the initial positioning of the warps running on the guide plate 11 is so adjusted that the lateral position of the crest of the plate comes right under the corresponding needles.

It is supposed in the first place that the endless chain 82 is made up of alternately joined links of height h, and links 84 of height h When the link of height h is in contact with the contactor 88, the warp transferer I9 is moved to the right in the drawing so as to build the first course of the fabric.-During this operation, the warp transferer rotates so as to transfer the warps over one needle to the left in the drawing. After complete building of the first course of the fabric, the sprocket 81 rotates so that the link of height h, comes in contact with the contactor 88. By this change of the chaincontactor contact, the guide plate 11 is moved over the distance I to the right in the drawing and the warps are moved over the same distance also. Next, the warp transferer 19 travels to the left in the drawing so as to build the second course of the fabric. During this operation, the warps are transferred over one needle to the right in the drawing. After completion of the second course building, the sprocket 81 is rotated, the link of height h, comes in contact with the contactor 88 and the guide plate 11 with the warps moves over the distance t" to the left in the drawing. By repeating the aboveexplained procedure, a warp and weft inter-knitted fabric including a warp tricot design is obtained.

When the endless chain 82 is made up of alternately joined links 83 of height h and links 84 of height h,,, a warp and weft inter-knitted fabric including a warp cord design is obtained.

Further, when the endless chain 82 is made up of the alternately joined links 83 of height h and links 84 of height h,,," a warp and weft inter-knitted fabric including a warp satin design is obtained.

ill)

The apparatus of the present invention is usable for various types of knitting machines wherein the cams including carriage and the needle bed are arranged to be displaced with respect to each other. The indentation on the upper surface of the warp guide plate and on the warp contactable surface of the. warp transferer is not limited to the illustrated embodiments only. Further, such indentation may be replaced by a roughened surface which can fix the lateral position of the warps without accidental lateral slippage along the surface.

Several examples of the structures of the warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics produced according to the method of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 10A to 10C.

In the case of the fabric shown in FIG. 10A, four sets of warp transferer blocks are used in such an arrangement that, for example in FIG. 4, two sets of warp transferer blocks 31a are sandwiched by two sets of warp transferer blocks 31b, all blocks being accompanied with respective weft suppliers. This arrangement may also employ a circular knitting machine. Warp transfer blocks are provided in the arrangement 31a, 31b, 31b, 31a, and warp threads are'supplied to all of the warp transfer blocks. The resultant movement of the warp threads is apparent in the fabric of FIG. 10A.

In the case of the fabric shown in FIG. 10B, four sets of the warp transferer blocks are used in an arrangement the same as that in FIG. 10A. But, the weft supply is designed as follows. Counting from the left in FIG. 4, the first and third blocks are fed wefts and the second and fourth blocks are not fed with wefts. Further, the cams for the first and third blocks are made operative and those for the second and fourth blocks are made inoperative.

A circular knitting machine may also be employed to produce the fabric of FIG. 108. The warp transfer blocks are provided in the arrangement 31a, 31b, 31b, 31a. The warp threads are provided in such an arrangement that alternate positions are not supplied, and the knitting cams corresponding to the warp threads are provided to be alternately in operation and nonoperation. This arrangement thus produces the fabric of FIG. 10B. 1

In the case of the fabric shown in FIG. 10C, six blocks are used in an arrangement such that two set of neighbouring blocks 31a are sandwiched by four sets of blocks 31b. Wefts are not fed to the third and sixth blocks whose cams are made inoperative.

A circular knitting machine may also be employed to produce the fabric of FIG. IOED. In this case, the warp transfer blocks are provided in the arrangement 31b, 31b, 31a 31a, 31b. The warp threads are arranged in such an order that the warp threads are supplied to two adjacent positions, which are separated from adjacent pairs of warp threads supplied thereto by a position in which the warp threads are not supplied. The groups of knitting cams are arranged to have adjacent pairs of operative positions separated by single positions corresponding to nonoperation. This arrangement produces the knitting fabric of FIG. 10D.

The synchronous driving of the holder bracket 14 along the guide rail 9 may be effected by a conventional technique, and this does not form part of the invention per se. Thus, in the case of a flat knitting machine, as illustrated in FIG. 11, guide rollers 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66 are disposed at the ends of a knitting machine 110, and are provided with wires or chains 71, 72. The wires or chains 71, 72 are flexible and not stretchable. One end of the wire 71 is connected to the carriage l, and extends therefrom around guide roller 61, at one end of the knitting machine, and thence extends around guide rollers 62 and 63 on the opposite side of the knitting machine, and is connected to one end of the bracket 14 beneath the warps. Similarly, one end of the wire 72 is connected to the other side of the carriage 1, this wire extending around guide roller 64 (at the same end of the knitting machine as the guide rollers 62 and 63) and thence around guide rollers 65 and 66 (at the same end of the knitting machine as the guide roller 61). The other end of the wire 72 is connected to the other side of the bracket 14 beneath the warps. In this arrangement, it is apparent that the rotatable warp transfer attached to the bracket 14 is set in the position where the needles are moved individually by several cams disposed inside the carriage 1. In this arrangement, when the carriage 1 moves in the direction of the arrow indicated in FIG. 1, the wire 72 is pulled, as indicated by the arrows, so that the bracket 14 is moved in the same general direction as the carriage 1. Consequently, the movement of the bracket 14 is always synchronized with the movement of the carriage 1. It is also apparent that the arrangement in accordance with the invention may be combined with a circular knitting machine by any of a number of techniques, and the arrangement per se does not form a part of the invention. As an example, referring to FlG. 12, a circular knitting machine is provided in which the cams are stationary and the needle bed is movable. A holder bracket 93 is stationary with respect to the body 111 of the knitting machine. Warp transfers 19 are disposed at each knitting position. A guide plate 91 and a gear 92 are mounted so that they rotate together. A beam-holding table 98 is also rotatably mounted on the body 111. A cylinder 90 is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12, by means of a suitable conventional motor or other driving means. A guide plate 91 and the gear 92 are rotated by means of a dog 94 synchronized with the rotation of the cylinder 90. In this case, since the bracket 93 is stationary, the warp transfer threads 19 attached to the bracket rotates so to effect the winding of the warps on the needles. The movement of the warps is thereby synchronized with the rotation of the cylinder, by means of the rotation of the beam holding table 98. The beam holding table may be driven by means of a drive shaft 96 and a gear 101 engaging external teeth on the table 98. A gear 100 on the shaft 96 drives a gear 95 for rotating the cylinder 90.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing warp and weft interknitted fabrics wherein a carriage having cams travels along a needle bed in operative position with respect to a knitting zone, said needle bed carrying needles controlled by said cams, comprising, in combination, a stationary guide rail aligned parallel to the needle bed, a guide plate having a surface for defining the lateral positions of warps, spaced from the knitting zone and extending parallel to said guide rail, at least one warp transfer block mounted on said guide rail each of which includes a warp transferer having a warp cataching outer surface for transferring warps laterally passing over a prescribed number of needles, means for moving said warp transferer block along said guide rail in synchronism with the carriage, and weft suppliers accompanying selected warp transferer blocks.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the warp position defining surface of said guide plate is provided with indentations.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said indentations are comb toothed.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein lateral positions of crests of said indentation are aligned directly under those of the corresponding needles.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said warp transferer is in the form of a rotary circular disc and said warp catching surface is formed on its periphery.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said circular disc is provided with indentations on the periphery thereof.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said warp transferer is in the form of a circulating endless memher and said warp catching surface is formed on its outer surface.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless belt.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless chain.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless rope.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is provided with indentations on its outer surface.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes a rack formed along said guide rail, a pinion mounted to said warp transferer block meshing with said rack, gear means for coupling said pinion to said warp transferer and means for coupling said warp transferer block to the carriage.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for reciprocating said guide plate perpendicular to the warp running direction.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said reciprocating means includes an endless circulating chain having multiple links and located to the side of said guide plate, a tension spring connecting said guide plate to a fixed point on the machine framework and a contactor fixed to one end of said guide plate and being resiliently pressed to said links of said chain.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the warp transfer rotates with peripheral speed as the warp transferer transfers warps in the advancing direction of the warp transfer block.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the warp transferer rotates with peripheral speed as the warp transferer transfers warps in a direction opposite the advancing direction of the warp trans ferer block. 

1. Apparatus for producing warp and weft inter-knitted fabrics wherein a carriage having cams travels along a needle bed in operative position with respect to a knitting zone, said needle bed carrying needles controlled by said cams, comprising, in combination, a stationary guide rail aligned parallel to the needle bed, a guide plate having a surface for defining the lateral positions of warps, spaced from the knitting zone and extending parallel to said guide rail, at least one warp transfer block mounted on said guide rail each of which includes a warp transferer having a warp cataching outer surface for transferring warps laterally passing over a prescribed number of needles, means for moving said warp transferer block along said guide rail in synchronism with the carriage, and weft suppliers accompanying selected warp transferer blocks.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the warp position defining surface of said guide plate is provided with indentations.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said indentations are comb toothed.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein lateral positions of crests of said indentation are aligned directly under those of the corresponding needles.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said warp transferer is in the form of a rotary circular disc and said warp catching surface is formed on its periphery.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said circular disc is provided with indentations on the periphery thereof.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said warp transferer is in the form of a circulating endless member and said warp catching surface is formed on its outer surface.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless belt.
 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless chain.
 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is in the form of an endless rope.
 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said endless member is provided with indentations on its outer surface.
 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said indentations are saw toothed.
 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes a rack formed along said guide rail, a pinion mounted to said warp transferer block meshing with said rack, gear means for coupling said pinion to said warp transferer and means for coupling said warp transferer block to the carriage.
 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for reciprocating said guide plate perpendicular to the warp running direction.
 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said reciprocating means includes an endless circulating chain having multiple links and located to the side of said guide plate, a tension spring connecting said guide plate to a fixed point on the machine framework and a contactor fixed to one end of said guide plate and being resiliently pressed to said links of said chain.
 18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the warp transfer rotates with peripheral speed as the warp transferer transfers warps in the advancing direction of the warp transfer block.
 19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the warp transferer rotates with peripheral speed as the warp transferer transfers warps in a direction opposite the advancing direction of the warp transferer block. 